Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 240 · 40 questions

Engineer's tip (Triangles stay put): Triangles are rigid; trusses, towers and frames use them. A pin-jointed frame with n sides needs n − 3 corner-to-corner braces; a row of n triangles uses 2n + 1 straws. Arches squeeze (compression); beams span gaps; domes are arches turned round in a circle.

1. 1.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
2. 2.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
3. 3.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 8 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
4. 4.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a roof truss (c) a round palace roof (d) a curved stone doorway
5. 5.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a round palace roof (c) a roof truss (d) a plank over a drain
6. 6.True or false: an electric pylon uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
7. 7.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
8. 8.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) hexagon (c) triangle (d) rectangle
9. 9.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a lintel over a door (c) a round palace roof (d) a truss bridge side
10. 10.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) take off a side (c) make it bigger (d) add a diagonal brace
11. 11.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
13. 13.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 1 triangle standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
14. 14.True or false: a round palace roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
15. 15.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 4 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
16. 16.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) an electric pylon (c) a lintel over a door (d) a slab over a canal
17. 17.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a planetarium roof (c) an old stone bridge (d) a slab over a canal
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
20. 20.🔺 A frame shaped like a triangle is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
21. 21.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 13 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
22. 22.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) stretched (tension) (c) squeezed (compression) (d) not affected
23. 23.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
24. 24.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 7 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
25. 25.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
26. 26.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) a crane arm (c) a planetarium roof (d) a shelf on two brackets
27. 27.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) an electric pylon (c) a fort gateway (d) a planetarium roof
28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
29. 29.🔺 A flat frame has 4 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
30. 30.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 11 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
31. 31.🔺 A flat frame has 12 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
32. 32.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
34. 34.True or false: an electric pylon uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
35. 35.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a round palace roof (c) a fort gateway (d) a truss bridge side
36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
37. 37.🔺 A flat frame has 10 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
38. 38.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 12 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
39. 39.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it works in compression (c) it bends easily (d) it is very light
40. 40.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) an electric pylon (c) a crane arm (d) a plank over a drain

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